Samples of Program Learning Objectives – San Diego State University
(see http://dus.sdsu.edu/assessment/department_learning_goals.pdf)
College of Arts and Letters
Africana Studies
Goal 1 Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of African culture and worldview.
Objective 1.1 Explain the major principles and values of Africana worldview and culture.
Objective 1.2 Explain the major moral, philosophical and ethical elements of Africana worldview
and culture.
Objective 1.3 Explain the role of Africana worldview in contemporary society.
Classics and Humanities
Goal 1 Develop critical faculties to describe literary and artistic form and content, to interpret meaning, and
to gauge effect.
Objective 1.1 Apply sound rhetorical principles to argumentation and discussion.
Objective 1.2 Distinguish between literal and figurative expression and between sound logic and
fallacy.
Economics
Goal 1 Develop the ability to explain core economic terms, concepts and theories.
Objective 1.1 Explain supply, demand, and the function of markets and prices as allocative
mechanisms.
Objective 1.2 Apply the concept of equilibrium at the macro and micro economic levels.
Objective 1.3 Identify key macroeconomic indicators and measures of economic changes and
growth.
Objective 1.4 Identify and discuss the key concepts underlying international trade and international
financial flows.
Objective 1.5. Assess the role of both domestic and international institutions and laws in shaping
different economic outcomes, especially in the context of market- based economies.
European Studies
Goal 1 Illustrate knowledge of the cultural history of Europe.
Objective 1.1 Compare the origins of a specific cultural manifestation in two or more European
countries.
Objective 1.2 Differentiate among the diverse cultures that form modern Europe.
Objective 1.3 Interpret differing perspectives on European unity.
Linguistics & Oriental Languages
Goal 1 Demonstrate the ability to think critically, reason logically, and comprehend scholarly writing on a
linguistic topic.
Objective 1.1 Produce academic papers synthesizing notions from topics in linguistics.
Objective 1.2 Articulate similarities and differences across different theoretical positions in
linguistics.
Women’s Studies
Goal 1 Understand the intersectionality of different dimensions of social organization gender, race, class,
culture, etc) as concepts and as lived experience.
Objective 1.1 Articulate a way of looking at the world from the standpoint of diverse women
nationally and internationally.
Objective 1.2 Discuss the way that gender is shaped by race, class, and culture.
Objective 1.3 Identify ways that people negotiate and represent multiple identities.
College of Business Administration
School of Accountancy
Goal 1 Demonstrate a fundamental knowledge of accounting regulation, including application of income
taxation and assurance standards.
Objective 1.1 Analyze, research, implement, and report on federal income tax provisions in the
context of planning and compliance decisions.
Objective 1.2 Analyze, research, implement, and report assurance (attestation and audit) standards
in audit planning, audit program design and implementation, and accountants’ reporting for the
major types of engagements.
Financial Services
Goal 1 Understand consumer financial needs and the mechanism available for fulfilling their needs.
Objective 1.1 Describe the various financial products, services and strategies offered by a variety of
financial services institutions.
Objective 1.2 Evaluate financial products and strategies offered by a variety of financial services
institutions for suitability and appropriateness in meeting consumer needs.
Objective 1.3 Prepare a plan for efficient wealth creation and management including planning for
cash and debt management, investing, insurance, retirement, education needs, incapacity, and
efficient wealth transfer.
Goal 2 Understand the role of technology and the legal, ethical and economic environment as it relates to
financial services.
Objective 2.1 Analyze the impact of tax and pension law on various financial decisions including
accumulation and transfer of wealth.
Objective 2.2 Identify conflicts of interest between market participants and between principal and
agent.
Objective 2.3 Evaluate the economic environment and the impact of governmental economic
policies on consumers and financial services firms.
Objective 2.4 Describe the impact that financial innovation, advances in technology, and changes
in regulations has had on the structure of the financial services industry.
Masters of Business Administration
Goal 1 Develop a solid foundation in theoretical concepts and managerial skills needed to lead business
organizations.
Objective 1.1 Apply concepts and decision models in organizational behavior, finance, economics,
marketing, and production to make business decisions.
Objective 1.2 Employ methods of financial and cost accounting and statistical data analysis to
support business decision-making.
Goal 2 Develop an awareness of the domestic and global economic, legal, ethical, and technological
environment in which managers make and implement decisions.
Objective 2.1 Identify and critically analyze salient legal and moral business issues.
Objective 2.2 Evaluate the impact that changes in the domestic and global economic environment
have on the business climate.
Objective 2.3 Analyze the impact that technological and product innovations have on the
competitiveness of firms.
College of Education
Postsecondary Education Leadership Program
Goal 1 Describe and evaluate the major theories of adult learning and select a theory(ies) upon which to
build practice in a postsecondary environment.
Objective 1.1 Recognize the major adult developmental stages affecting learning.
Objective 1.2 Design a lesson, unit, or program taking into account adult developmental tasks
associated with one or more stages.
Objective 1.3 Construct a philosophy about adult learning and teaching adults utilizing adult
learning theories.
College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts
Child and Family Development
Goal 1 Understand family dynamics and interaction across the life span.
Objective 1.1 Discuss theories of family dynamics throughout the life span.
Objective 1.2 Explain the dynamics of prevention and treatment in families.
Objective 1.3 Apply family theories to contemporary and ethnically diverse families.
College of Sciences
Biology Department
Goal 1 Explain the interactions of organisms with their environments and with each other.
Objective 1.1 Describe ecosystems as existing of populations of organisms plus physical
characteristics, nutrient cycles, energy flow and controls.
Objective 1.2 Explain how populations of the same and different species interact dynamically in
communities.
Objective 1.3 Propose one or more hypotheses that plausibly suggest how species can play similar
roles and co-exist in a community.
Goal 2 Explain the process of natural selection and how it contributes to the formation of species and
biodiversity.
Objective 2.1 Compare the modes of sorting for biological variation, including natural selection,
random drift and sexual selection.
Objective 2.2 Explain how genes, chromosomes and alleles are related to one another, and
compare their roles in the transmission of genetic information.
Objective 2.3 Propose one or more hypotheses that plausibly suggest mechanisms for changing
gene frequencies within and among populations.
Goal 3 Explain the mechanisms by which biomolecules assemble and function to form uni-and multicellular
organisms.
Objective 3.1 Describe the structural characteristics and mechanisms of assembly of the main
categories of biomolecules (nucleic acids, proteins and lipids), and how each group of biomolecules
contributes to cellular structure and function.
Objective 3.2 Explain prokaryotic and eukaryotic cellular structures, and their functions, and
discuss the ways in which prokaryotic cells exist in their environments, and the ways in which
eukaryotic cells contribute to tissue and organ structure and function.
Objective 3.3 Discuss cellular energetics by describing the processes of glycolysis, oxidative
phosphorylation, photosynthesis, the flow of carbon amongst these processes, and how the
chemical energy resulting from the process is used to support life at the cellular level.
Psychology
Goal 1 Understand the developmental, cognitive, social, and biological bases of normal and
abnormal/maladaptive behavior.
Objective 1.1 Explain the roles of persons and situations as causes of behavior.
Objective 1.2 Explain the nature-nurture controversy, and cite supportive findings from different
areas of psychology for each side.
Goal 2 Understand the process of psychological inquiry, including the formulation of hypotheses and the
methods and designs used to test hypotheses.
Objective 2.1 Formulate scientific questions using operational definitions.
Objective 2.2 Demonstrate familiarity with the concepts and techniques of testing hypotheses.